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The General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
The General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony decrees that every town of fifty families should have an elementary school and every town of 100 families should have a Latin one. The goal is to ensure that Puritan children learn to read the Bible and receive basic information about their Calvinist religion. -
Federal Funds for Schools
The Continental Congress passed a law calling for a survey of the "Northwest Territory,". The law created "townships," reserving a portion of each township for a local school. From these "land grants" eventually came the U.S. system of "land grant universities," the state public universities that exist today. Of course, in order to create these townships, the Continental Congress assumes it has the right to give away or sell land that Native people already occupy. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
A Supreme Court case in 1896 upheld racial segregation in public spaces. It was centered around Homer Plessy, an African American man who challenged segregation laws by refusing to sit in a railroad car for black individuals. The Court ruled that Louisiana's "separate but equal" doctrine did not go against the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause if the segregated facilities maintained equal quality, leading to decades-long legal segregation. -
Brown v. Board of Education
A Supreme Court case which took place in 1954. It declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. The Court's ruling stated that separate educational facilities were unequal and violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This ruling overturned the doctrine of "separate but equal" established by Plessy v. Ferguson. Although immediate desegregation did not happen, this case played a crucial rule in making that a possibility. -
Little Rock Nine
A federal court ordered the integration of Little Rock, Arkansas, public schools. Governor Orval Faubus sends his National Guard to physically prevent nine African American students from enrolling at the all-white Central High School. Reluctantly, President Eisenhower sent federal troops to enforce the court order not because he supported desegregation but because he couldn't let a state governor use military power to defy the U.S. federal government. -
Title IX
A federal law enacted in 1972 bans sex-based discrimination in schools receiving federal funding. It covers all levels of education, including elementary schools, colleges, and universities. Title IX ensures equal opportunities, like admissions, athletics, and academic programs for male and female students. This law has been pivotal in advancing gender equality in education, fostering inclusivity and equity. -
Miliken v. Bradley
A Supreme Court of Richard Nixon's appointees ruled that schools may not be desegregated across school districts. This effectively legally segregates students of color in inner-city districts from white students in wealthier white suburban districts. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
Enacted in 1975 and later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Act, it ensures equal educational opportunities for children with disabilities. Federal law requires public schools to provide appropriate and individualized education to students with disabilities, including special education services and accommodations. Each student with a disability must have an individualized education program (IEP), and parental involvement is emphasized in the educational process. -
The Federal Tribal Colleges Act
Establishes a community college on every Indian reservation, which allows young people to go to college without leaving their families. -
Pyler v. Doe
A Supreme Court case in 1982 addressed education access for undocumented immigrant children. It originated from a Texas law that denied public educational funds to children lacking legal status. Because of the Fourteenth Amendment, the Court ruled this unconstitutional with the decision affirming all children, regardless of immigration status. -
Board of Education v. Rowley
A Supreme Court case in 1982 tackled the interpretation of the Individuals with Disabilities. It centered around Amy Rowley, a deaf student who received special education services in a public school. The Court ruled that students with disabilities are entitled to an "appropriate education" that reasonably ensures meaningful educational progress. However, it clarified that this does not necessarily mean providing the best or most extensive services available. -
Proposition 209
Leading the way backward again, California passed Proposition 209, which outlaws affirmative action in public employment, public contracting, and public education. Other states jump on the bandwagon with their own initiatives, and right-wing elements hope to pass similar legislation on a federal level.